HARBOUR COLLISION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13726, 16 April 1908, Page 6

HARBOUR COLLISION.

FURTHER EVIDENCE.

SCENE OF THE COLLISION VISITED.

The inquiry into the circumstances of the collision between the steamer Wairuna and the ketch Moon ah was continued yesterday before Mr. C. C. Kettle. S.M., and Captains Adamson and Mackenzie, assessors. Mr. Mays appeared for the Customs Department, Mr. McVeagh for the Union Steam Ship Company, Mr. Banna for Captain Robinson and the other officers of the Wairuna, and Mr. McGregor, for Captain de Silva, of theMoonah.

John Rhys Owen, third officn: of the Wairuna, gave evidence regarding the collision, and corroborated the statement of the first mate that the ketch drifted on to the bow of the steamer.

Captain Albert Dudei", ln.bourma.ster, stated that on the night of the collision there was a northerly wind. The tide at the point of the collision would run at hall-flood a little more than a knot and a-lialr.

The Court, at. this stage postponed the bearing of further evidence till after lunch, in order to inspect the ketch in the harbour. The trip was made in Viw, Ferry Steamer Company's launch Rum. The Moonah has been partially raised in Shoal 8;..y betwen the ketches Havoc and Kami, and her deck is just showing above water. She was inspected by Mr. Kettle and the assessors. On the port side of the sunken ketch is a large hole, penetrating as far as the main hatchway, and the splintered timbers of the hulk show where the impact occurred. Both masts have snapped off just above the deck. Although such a short, time elapsed between the sinking and raising of the vessel, the rigging, ropes, and portion of the ketch herself i.re covered with a rank marine growth—a species of seaweed. On the hearing being resumed, the sergeant in charge of the water police, and Joseph Brookes, chief steward of the Wairuna, gave evidence. The latter stated that after the accident the captain of the ketch told him that he couldn't make out what it was that was coming down, but thought it was a man-of-war. He (the captain of the ketch) thought the captain of the steaaner was mad. Frederick Bartlett, boatswain of the Wairuna. related what he saw of the collision. Mr. Mays: Did you feel any shock when the collision occurred? Witness: None at all. You wouldn't have thought she had 140 tons of coal on board? —No; it was more like a. bundle of shavings coming on top of us. Mr. Kettle: A. bundle of shavings? Witness : Yes. Md. Kettle : Have you had much experience of bundles of shavings coming across the bows of your steamer'' (Laughter.) At the conclusion of the examination of this witness the inquiry was adjourned till 11 o'clock this morning.